Home of my Heart
by Raven Hallowryn
Summary: Five years after the Equalist War, Korra returns to Republic City after a three year journey. Everything seems bright and beautiful, but the path of a Avatar is full of surprises. Tags: Romance, Action, Violence, Lemons, Angst, Spiritual, Family, Mystery.
1. Return

Chapter 1

She took a deep breath allowing the salty spray of sea water to mist onto her skin as her lungs filled with the fresh cool breeze. It made her feel alive, awake and giddy, even the vague scent of factory fumes in the distance and the buzzing noise on a large city growing louder as the boat lurched closer to the docks, wasn't enough to cloud her spirit, in fact it did the very opposite- it made a thrill shoot up her spine as adrenaline and nostalgia invaded her. It felt like coming home at last.

As soon as the boat was close enough to the docking planks she petted her loyal furry companion and jumped out, almost automatically bending the air to carry her onto land but what awaited her on the actual dock made her lose focus and splash comically onto the murky city water beneath forcing her to swim out and bend the water off her sodden clothing, but even that did not dampen her day or stop the enormous grin that spread on her features as trio of children leapt into her arms in a mass of arms and legs and excitement that toppled her over with the force of the hug.

The children grinned at her, though children was not quite accurate a word as it used to be- Jinora was now seventeen, as old as she herself had been when she first arrived on this city, Ikki was fifteen and almost as much of a lady as Jinora, and Meelo was thirteen, entering adolescence and already looking taller and little gangly but still retaining a childish innocence.

"Korra! Korra! You're finally back! We missed you! You know we kept asking dad about you but he was always so vague. What have you been up to? Why did you take so long? You're air bending got really good even though you did fall! Have you been training?" Ikki ranted on, speaking as fiercely fast as always and Korra noted that despite her lean growing figure she was still the same as always which elicited a chuckle from the Avatar's lips.

"Woah there! Slow down, kiddo! I'll explain everything later, right now I'm just glad to be back." She smiled looking up at her mentor at last as he extended a hand to help her up.

"Now children, do not tackle the Avatar to the ground. It is highly impolite and a show of impatience unworthy of an airbending master." Tenzin recited seriously but there was a warmth in his voice that took the sting away from the words as he helped Korra up.

"Tenzin!" Korra hugged him like the child she felt like whenever he was around, a hug filled with respect but also with familial love and playful rebellion.

The airbending master was taken aback, momentarily losing his composure before wrapping his arms around her shoulders in a tender embrace.

"It's good to have you back Korra. You are looking very well." He smiled softly as he eyed her. Korra had grown about an inch before her growth halted completely, she still looked athletic and slim but there a slight more roundness to her curves and a couple of slight scars marred her hands but where well concealed by her usual bracelets. The rest of her clothing was a little different from when they had last seen her- she still wore her typical blue pants but now she wore a darker blue sleeveless tunic over it with buttons on left shoulder and a fluffy white-rimmed sash around her waist with dark marron Fire Nation embroidery on it and her boots were different and tinted greenish brown giving away Earth Kingdom traits, her hair at least, was the same as always, albeit a bit longer.

Korra finally stepped back only to hug Pema and was surprised to see Chief Beifong there as well but she greeted her with an equally enthusiastic hug, not caring that the woman cringed and became flustered with surprise and awkwardness.

"Chief! Good to see you here!" Korra disentangled herself from the embrace, slapping the woman in the back with friendly excitement and vaguely noticed that the something seemed different about the older woman, she looked jovial and more relaxed, almost younger and brighter.

"Welcome back to Republic City, Avatar." She spoke politely and formally but Korra just chuckled knowing full well of the woman's personality.

"So how have you been handling the fort while I've been gone?" Korra grinned smugly. She didn't expect the metalbending Chief of Police to have had any trouble helping the council keep the city under control but she still loved teasing her to no end.

"We were doing perfectly fine, Avatar." The Chief looked as stoic as ever and in her joy to be home, Korra didn't notice the use of the past tense, instead she smiled looking around and noticing a small child huddled behind the Chief's legs. It took her a moment but by the bright ochre and maroon clothing she soon deciphered who the little boy was.

"Rohan? That's Rohan, isn't it?" She smiled as the little boy flinched away behind the Chief.

Pema nodded smiling, though a little grimace seemed to try to poke its way into her features.

"Yes, Rohan has taken a big liking to Chief Lin and will whine to no end if he doesn't see her every other day. I'm afraid it might be a bit distracting to the good Chief." Pema kept smiling, trying to coach the boy to come closer to Korra as Chief Beifong merely shrugged as if this was not important, but everyone could see the softness in her eyes when she looked at the boy.

"Hey there, little guy. You probably don't remember me but I used to live with you for a while." Korra smiled at the child watching as the five-year-old peered at her curiously before nodding his acceptance at her words; he had probably lived the past years hearing stories of Avatar Korra anyway.

Korra soon stood looking at everyone with her smile never fading even though her jaw was starting to throb a little.

"It's so good to be back." Korra yelled out spinning around, eliciting snickers from everyone who knew her.

"Korra, it's only been three years, it's not that long." Tenzin remarked cooly.

"For you maybe, it felt like a hell of a lot longer to me!" Korra crossed her arms trying to act pouty but her smile betrayed her as she looked onto the city. "Where are the others? How's Mako? And Bolin? And Asami? And Iroh?" Korra bounced eagerly at each question as she looked from person to person awaiting answers.

"Everyone is very well. Mako and Bolin moved back into the city and the Fireferrets are as popular as ever, even without the Avatar on the team. As for Asami, you know she gained full control of her father's estate after his prison sentence was read and she help fund the city repairs after the war, what you don't know is that she has been investing in the city's defense and is now dating General Iroh." Jinora spoke all this quite clinically but winked a little at the last words.

Korra raised her brows in surprise but gave a crooked grin.

"I knew those two had chemistry. So anyone else dating nowadays?" She looked at Jinora and Ikki awaiting some gossip but everyone shifted uncomfortably and she decided not to press the matter fearing that it might ruin her mood, so instead she asked the question she had been burning to ask- "Where are they now?"

"Right now? Probably at Sato Stadium." Jinora replied.

"Sa-What Stadium?" Korra gasped.

"Sato Stadium. After the Pro-Bending arena got smashed in the war everyone wanted to build a new one so Asami sponsored the build of a new Stadium and gym that opened last year. They are probably there now."

Korra was surprised. After the war, there had been so much to do with her Avatar responsibilities that she was forced to step away from Pro-Bending but she still watched the matches at the small replacement arena and she had known Asami had some surprise up her sleeve but she hadn't expected it to be a full out Stadium. Suddenly the Avatar was very excited.

"Where is it?" she asked giddily.

"Just west to the old arena, by the private docks." Jinora replied pointing in the right direction.

"But Korra, you just got here, you can't possibly…" The rest of Tenzin's words were drowned out as Korra whistled for Naga.

"Sorry Tenzin, I promise I won't be long, I'll be back for dinner." She hopped on the polar bear dog as soon as the later had bound out of the boat, allowing the children a few moments to pet Naga before coached her into running off to the stadium.


	2. Closure

Chapter 2

She passed some fisherman and multiple sailors then had to weave around the fenced private docks that were mostly empty except for a couple entering the private dock and a cloaked figured exiting it moments later but she didn't care, all she cared about was finding the stadium, but as she turned west she realized it wasn't going to be that hard.

A huge plaque that could be seen in the distance read "SATO STADIUM" and it seem to ornate the front entrance of the largest pavilion that Korra had ever seen, which was saying something considering that had just returned from a trip to the Fire and Earth Kingdoms and they had some pretty huge architecture.

She noticed there were two main entrances and both were closed but a minor side door seemed unlocked and she supposed that was the equivalent to the staff entry. She left Naga just outside the door with a treat from her bag, then walked inside.

After walking down one rather wide corridor she was immediately stopped by a big burly fellow in his forties dressed a shabby shirt and brown trousers with a messy 5 o'clock shadow and yellowish teeth. He grabbed her by the wrist.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing, skulking around here? No unauthorized entries!" He started to drag her as she protested loudly that this was a misunderstanding.

"Looking for the bathroom again?" The voice startled them both into silence as they spun around. Someone else had just turned into the corridor and suddenly the words made sense and the scene was all too familiar to Korra.

"BOLIN!" She yelled and yanked herself free jumping into her friend's arms for a tight hug. He seemed taller but not by much and he wore his training clothes but he still seemed just as she remembered.

"Mr. Bolin, what…?" The burly man seemed a bit lost but still eyed Korra suspiciously, probably thinking she was an over-excited fangirl.

"It's ok Bon, she's with me." He chuckled before adding- "An old friend and colleague." Bolin waved it off casually and the man shrugged and went on his way muttering a "As you wish, sir."

"Can you believe people call me sir, now?" Bolin laughed buoyantly.

"Spirits, I missed you so much!" Korra stepped back slapping his arms playfully, a little blushed that she hadn't been able to help herself from hugging him.

"Missed 'ya too, Korra. Didn't know you were back in town." Bolin smiled wrapping an arm around her shoulder as he guided her through the corridors.

"Just arrived not half an hour ago." She grinned remembering her welcome at the docks. "Where's Mako?"

Bolin shifted a little uncomfortably but his smile never faltered as they reached the gym and he pointed at a figure sending balls of flashing fire into water targets.

"MAKO!" Korra yelled distracting the firebender so that he lost balance mid-form and fell with a spectacular thud making her wince with a little guilty smirk but he soon got up and raced to her.

"Korra! Didn't know you were back!" Mako smiled giving her friendly hug that made her chest lurch. He looked older, the same height and hair style but he now had an obvious shadow of a beard and his face seemed more mature unlike Bolin's permanent baby face.

Korra had dreaded this moment. She had been so eager to see him but at the same time under all the excitement and yearning she had been terrified. Terrified that might be angry, terrified that seeing him might ignite the feelings she had spent so long getting over, or worse- terrified that he would view her with the indifferent respect of any other citizen and not as a close friend.

But none of that happened. There he was, beaming with honest delight and admiring her.

"You look good, girl! I almost didn't recognize you!" His smile still did funny things to her insides but the old flame that once burned her from the inside out was gone.

"Liar. I look just the same. You, on the other hand..." Korra smirked, doing a wolf whistle and elbowing suggestively making him laugh.

"Mako? Do we have a visitor?" The sweet voice reached Korra's ears before she even noticed anyone else was there. It came for a curvaceous girl that was currently walking towards them.

Korra soon noticed that despite the girl's delicate and curvaceous figure, there was something naturally boyish about the way she moved and her muscles seemed well-defined and athletic, almost like Korra's. She had deep blue eyes and skin that was just dark enough to show Water Tribe heritage but not by much, she was also almost five inches shorter than Korra, had short spiky hair, a small button nose and pouty lips, she would have looked dollish if not for her sharp cheekbones that made a unique facial contrast but still looked delightfully well on her.

"Ah…" Mako hesitated for a moment before waving for the girl to join them. "Korra this is Sarruk. Sarruk, this is Korra." He made the introductions briefly.

Bolin hid his face from Korra with his hand and playfully whispered very audibly at Sarruk. "She's the Avatar!"

The confused look on the small girl's face turned into an affable and excited smile as Korra chuckled.

"_The_ Avatar Korra?! Oh my Spirits, it's an honor to finally meet you." Rather than bowing as was customary, the girl, who Korra now deduced must be around 3 or four years younger than herself, shook the Avatar's hand enthusiastically. Her voice didn't have the high pitch fangirling voice that usually came with the greeting she just used, but instead it had an honest reverent edge to it.

Korra had never been too perceptive or extraordinarily sharp but that reception was enough to tell her that despite the obvious Water Tribe heritage, this girl had probably been born and raised in Republic City, most likely from a mixed family since she didn't seem to have a single traditional inclination.

"Sarruk had been our Fireferret waterbender since our previous replacement… well deserted us to be honest." Mako made a face.

"Well duh! Korra is a big deal to live up to! Most guys couldn't handle the pressure." Bolin laughed, elbowing Korra with complicity.

"Anyway, Sarruk's been a valuable asset." Mako smiled softly at the mention of the girl's name and Korra felt a pang of residual jealousy for no reason whatsoever.

"Well…I don't know about asset but I love being in the team… Even though my parents insist I should focus on my studies. Apparently being a waterbender and a professional athlete isn't seemly enough for the niece of a councilman…" She muttered out the last words and Korra noticed that her sweet voice didn't quite match her lively tomboy-ish personality. After a little pause she brightened again. "Anyway, it is a big pleasure to meet you, Avatar, I hope I am doing the team justice in your place."

Korra eyed the brothers but decided to ask the specifics later. Instead she smiled and bumped the girl's shoulder playfully.

"Just Korra is fine, kiddo." She chuckled and noticed, with some surprise and maybe a little sting, that Sarruk didn't seem offended by the nickname, in fact she seemed honored.

"Just wait until you see us in action on our next match. This stadium is so sweet!" Bolin interjected getting back into the conversation, trying to grab Korra's attention.

"I bet it's awesome." Korra grinned. "Speaking of the stadium…Any idea where Asami is?"

"Probably getting ready for y-…" Mako slapped Bolin's back with a bit too much force to be playful, effectively cutting him off mid-sentence.

"For some charity function or something, right? She has a lot of those these days, _huh_ _Bolin_?" The way Mako emphasized his brother's name did not go unnoticed, not that the Avatar would usually notice, she just knew them too well not to, but Korra decided to let the matter go in favor of more Pro-Bending debate.

Before she knew it, she was getting along great with the new girl, in fact Korra saw a little of herself in Sarruk's demeanor and they seemed to understand each other well, the avatar hoped this was the start of a new friendship when their conversation escalated into talk of the upcoming qualification matches for the year's championship cup.

But that wasn't the only topic, soon they branched out into the discussion of the past three years that Korra had missed in her friend's lives. They told her Asami had started dating General Iroh shortly after Korra left, something she knew was bound to happen when he started showing up more and more often after the war, although his visits were irregular due to his career. They told her Chief Beifong had also started dating and she was shocked to discover that her love interest was none other than Tenzin's elder brother, Commander Bumi. They even told her that Tahno had reformed the Wolf-bats, but that she had suspected shortly after returning his bending.

Through their conversation she even confirmed that Sarruk was indeed eighteen years old, as well as the niece of the new Water Tribe councilman, she found out that it had been finally confirmed that the Triads had been dissipated from the city, she even confirmed that little Rohan had showed airbending skills. The only topic they didn't get into was the one she wanted to know the most but dreaded asking- Mako's love life.

~~~~~~.:oOo:.~~~~~~

That night Korra was surprised with an amazing welcome home party at the air temple, apparently organized by Asami. So _that's _what the brothers were hiding.

Everyone was there, all of her friends in the city and even though she had lived all her life in the midst of water tribe snowy landscapes, this is where she felt the most at home.

After a very satisfying meal and plenty and goofing around, she entertained others with tales of her exploits in the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom to settle sparks of anti-bender mutiny and some of pro-bender oppression, remnants of the Equalist war, all while on her own spiritual quest. After several such stories she was whisked away by Asami who dragged her towards the airbending training grounds.

"Oh Korra, how I missed having you around." Asami hugged her. Not just that, she hugged her tightly and affectionately, the complete opposite of her polite, albeit enthusiastic, greeting at the beginning of the party. It took Korra aback a bit but eventually she leaned into the embrace and hugged her friend back.

Asami had never been very clingy or open to boisterous displays of friendly affection, she had been educated to be polite and well-mannered after all, but they had grown closer and closer after Asami had gotten over her break up with Mako. She herself had admitted that despite all their chemistry they were never meant to be and once she realized that, she and Korra had started a steady path into becoming girl friends.

"I missed you too, A. How are you doing?" Korra's smile was gentle and sweet, something only Asami and Tenzin's children had learned to coach from her.

"Oh I'm great now that you're here. I was starting to worry, Korra. We all were. You haven't even sent any news in over a year…some of us thought you weren't coming back, not for real any way…" Asami's voice trailed off a little sadly.

"I'm sorry...But…Well I'm here now and I don't plan on going anywhere, sweet thing." Korra smiled but something she said struck Korra though she tried to downplay it humorously. "So, who was the dummy that thought I wouldn't come back?"

"Oh, um….Mako…though several of us were losing hope as well." Asami was fidgeting, but if anyone could be counted on for the raw impartial truth it was her. Well, her and Lin Beifong.

"I see… Is that why everyone is walking on eggshells when I ask about Mako?"

"I suppose. Given how you two separated…"

Korra nodded knowingly. It had taken her almost two years to decide to leave but by then her travel could no longer be delayed any more for the Avatar was needed by the world, so she had decided she should leave on clean terms. Korra did not know when she would see Mako again, it could be years, or it could be more. She knew she would have the friendship of all those important to her no matter how many years passed but she found it unfair to fetter Mako to her romantically when he could have such a full life ahead of him, not to mention that although she loved him deeply, it was still the sweet innocence of a first love and she would cherish it forever but they both knew he would not be her soul mate, a brother figure and a best friend perhaps but not her livelong lover. So the Avatar broke up her relationship with the firebender and, despite some early bitterness, Mako grew to understand the decision and agreed that they were better off as best friends.

Everyone else knew they had lingering feelings for each other and for the following years during her travels Korra had done her best to surpass those emotions. She had been the one to end it but secretly she hoped he would wait for her, even long after she had gotten over him she was unable to open up to love because she still secretly hoped to come home and finding him waiting. But he hadn't.

"He found someone else, didn't he?" Korra spoke softly, almost sadly but she still smiled at Asami.

"…Yes. At first it was just friendship and when it bloomed to something else we didn't expect it to last, she's so much like you that we thought she was just a replacement…I know it's a horrible thought on our part but eventually we saw that he was serious about her, and…well, they are happy, Korra." Asami looked at her with compassion in her beautiful green eyes.

"It's Sarruk, isn't it?" Korra looked at her friend and the sudden flinch and the taken-aback look told her she was right.

"Yes." Asami finally nodded then moved closer to Korra. "Are you ok?"

The Avatar mutely and affectionately squeezed her friend's hand. She was conflicted. Tears stung at her eyes from the disappointment, there was also a pang of jealousy and even a little bitterness but, surprisingly, at the same time there was happiness. Yes, she was happy for Mako and she genuinely liked Sarruk despite the fact that she was five years younger than Mako, Korra could see the chemistry and complicity between them, they were so natural around each other, more so than Korra and him had ever been. However the most surprising feeling blooming in her was relief. That and tranquility. She finally felt a sort of release from the secret hope she had harbored for years and it was oddly peaceful, like she had been chained to a tiny chip of ice for years waiting for it to melt and now it simply evaporated before her eyes along with her shackles.

She took a deep shuddering breath noticing the anxious look on Asami's face and after several long contemplating moments she nodded and answered.

"Yes Asami. I'm better than ok, I'm happier than I've been in years." And she truly meant it.


	3. Dumplings For The Soul

Chapter 3

After the party the Avatar was finally allowed into her old Air Temple room. She had loved seeing her friends, she had loved that they had thrown a party but after the long trip and all the powerful emotions of the day she felt drained and ready to sleep for a whole week. The smell of the room only made her sleepier and more relaxed and it did indeed have a _scent_ of its own- it still smelled of Korra, it smelled of water and cinnamon oil, it smelled of Naga, it smelled of Asami's perfume and Mako and Bolin's cologne, it smelled of jasmine blooming just outside her window and of the pan-fried noodles she would sneak into her room to eat at night. It smelled like the good old days, like Home, all under a thin sheath of dust, even though Pema had kept it pristine and just as Korra had left it.

She removed her shoes and tossed away her sash and as soon as her head sank into the pillow she was asleep, sleeping better than she had in years.

~~~~~~.:oOo:.~~~~~~

"Korra? Korra!" The insistent voice rang her out of her dreams.

"Mm…what…What?" She rolled on her stomach lazily, answering with a pasty voice.

"It's almost lunch time, Korra. Mom asked me to call you." Jinora's voice had become soft and deeper but was still gentle and had an almost regal tone to it albeit how humble she naturally was.

"Hm…Yeah…'K…Be right there…" Korra mumbled into her pillow.

Half an hour later Korra deemed it was more than time she got up and bathed, but even after she got back to her room after a quick warm bath, she still felt tired. She hated to keep the family waiting but the travel, the party and all the excitement had worn her off, she was grateful they had let her sleep so late but she still felt pretty exhausted, so exhausted in fact that she barely heard the footsteps approaching down the corridor.

She had placed the clothes from the day before in the wash, they needed a good scrub after the long trip, and was currently in only her underwear staring at an Air Temple outfit with wet hair dripping down her back.

«Well, it will have to do until my clothes are cleaned.» She thought sleepily.

She was just in the process of picking the outfit up from the bed when the door to room slid open abruptly.

"Kooooorra! Guess who came join you for lun-…" Bolin burst in speaking loudly in a sing song voice but went quickly silent when he saw the state she was in.

There was a long second of awkward silence as they looked at each other. Bolin's face fell into a stunned bug-eyed, open-mouthed stare as he blushed severely. Korra herself felt her cheeks heat up before she could even react, then she grabbed the uniform to shield her mostly naked body as Bolin stumbled back, falling on his butt and crawling out the room, shutting the door behind his back.

"Sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry! Its past noon so I didn't think…I….I didn't mean to see you…! I mean it's not that I didn't want…I mean…It wasn't of purpose, I swear!" Bolin was rambling awkwardly at the shut entrance for several minutes.

The door suddenly slid open and Korra lightly slapped her hand onto his shoulder, giving him a stern look and trying not to draw attention to her rosy dark cheeks.

"Bolin…It's fine ok? Just stop talking before the whole temple hears you." She whispered harshly.

In reality Ikki, Meelo and a female Air Acolyte were at the end of the corridor, peeking over the corner and watching them curiously. This made Bolin blush further and Korra noticed that he looked somewhat adorable when even his nose and ears went red with embarrassment, he was twenty-one years old and still managed to look like a flustered kid.

"Ah…Sorry!" He said loudly, the flinched and a hand reached his mouth as he whispered audibly. "Sorry, won't happen again."

"Don't worry about it." Korra grinned lightening the mood and slapped his back. "C'mon, I'm starving."

She was indeed hungry, now that his sudden entrance had scared her awake she was almost feeling like herself again, so she strut down to the living area in the ochre and maroon outfit, that she had always thought looked dismally on her, with Bolin at her side wearing his typical dark green pants and grey-green shirt, still looking flustered.

Mako was waiting for them and helping Pema set the table, wearing the usual blank pants, grey coat and red scarf.

«Honestly, for Pro-Bending stars, you'd think they could afford a more varied wardrobe.» Korra thought to herself but she waved at him.

"Hi, Korra." Mako waved back and Pabu popped up from behind him to crawl his way up Bolin's body to his neck. At that moment the rest of the airbender family rushed in, flooding the area with various degrees of conversation and greetings.

"'Morning." Korra replied to everyone in general as they sat to eat. She the rubbed Pabu's neck playfully. "Hey, little guy."

Pabu immediately hoped onto Korra's shoulder circling her neck excitedly with his fluffy red, white and black fun tickling all over her sensitive skin.

"I know, I know. I missed you too." She chuckled petting the fireferret. Once again she reveled in the feeling of how at home she felt.

Bolin watched the whole exchange in a daze, the way Pabu made her squirm ticklishly and the way she laughed and chuckled made him feel like the world was moving in slow motion and someone was throwing sparkles around.

Everyone soon sat politely and, as Korra began to eat, she and Mako started talking about the match that night, the first one Korra would be allowed to watch in years. She was gushing excitement as she ate and the firebender took his time to tell her and Ikki, a surprisingly enthusiastic Pro-Bending fan, about the team they'd be facing.

On his end, Bolin would often make some sort of humorous remark about the opposing team as he ate in somewhat of a rush. Truthfully he was just hiding how much he was mortified from the earlier incident with Korra, he knew he should be ashamed but secretly his heart was hammering in his chest with joy.

Nobody really knew or cared that Bolin had stayed single all those years Korra was away. Everybody, even Mako, simply assumed that his corny attempts at flirting failed or that he was just happy to flirt around like a kid rather than settle, but the truth was he had tried dating several times, heck he had even dated Sarruk before she even joined the team and met Mako, but it never lasted past a few days and the reason was simple- none of the girls was Korra. He had given up on her long ago, when he realized she liked Mako, the realization had crushed him but in the end he was happy for her and his brother because they were the two people he loved the most and if staying out of the way made sure they were happy then he'd do it in a heartbeat. But he had never forgotten Korra, for years she had owned his heart even though all he aimed at was her friendship and kept continuously smiling and silencing his feelings.

When Korra had left he had been down just like Mako, but eventually he got good at smiling again, he always was good at snuffing his pain, ever since his parents died and Mako took care of him alone Bolin realized that smiling and ignoring the pain was the best way to keep moving and to make sure nobody else had to worry for him. However, when everyone started to wonder if Korra would ever come back to live in the city, he had worn his heart on his sleeve, often breaking down in the privacy of his bed, but Mako was happy again by then so Bolin smiled for him, always hoping Korra would return, because if she didn't she would be taking his heart with her.

Then he saw her. The moment he had seen Korra at the stadium he had felt as if the last three year had been a dream in the dark and he was finally awakening to a bright morning in which Korra was his sun.

And now he felt he had ruined it all with his impulsive blunder. What if she was secretly really, really mad?

"…right, Bolin?"

"Huh?" He snapped out of his thoughts with a piece of cabbage half way to his mouth when he heard his name called.

"I said, we should get Korra as the team healer, right?" Mako repeated patiently.

"Oh yeah, totally. Sarruk nearly took Mako's eye out when she tried to heal that lump on his head last week." Bolin laughed at the memory.

"What lump? I thought headshots were illegal." Korra looked lost.

"Bolin earthbent the floor during practice and I slipped and bumped my head. It wasn't a match thing. He didn't find it so hilarious at the time." Mako replied quite flatly.

"Well no, bro, but you gotta admit the way Sarruk freaked out was funny." Bolin grinned then made an exaggeratedly girly worry face clasping his hands together by his face while fluttering his lashes. "Oh Mako-sweety!" He keened in a high pitched mock voice, causing Meelo to roll on the floor laughing.

Korra sputtered her tea and laughed her usual rowdy laugh, clapping Mako on the back. Just that was enough to soften Bolin's mood.

The rest of the meal went fairly pleasantly and everyone laughed at Bolin's various jokes and some of Korra's stories from her travels. She was just finishing a particularly entertaining story about some swamp waterbenders she had met when Bolin rushed out leaving everyone to wonder where he went.

They didn't wonder for long, though, since he returned minutes later with a large bamboo box in his hands.

"I brought dessert. Sweet bean, cream filling and honey dumplings." Bolin announced, opening the box with a flourish and setting it on the table.

"Yay, honey dumplings!" Ikki squealed but Rohan and Meelo were the first to rush forward for their fill.

"You didn't have to go buying sweets for us, dear. But thank you." Pema gave him a motherly smile.

"Oh he didn't buy them. Bolin made them." Mako smirked as if enjoying a private joke.

Korra nearly dropped her cream dumpling and turned to look at flustered but smiling Bolin. He was blushing again and Korra had a large smidge of cream on the corner of her mouth that he just wanted to wipe away. Now. With his lips.

"Since when can you bake?" Korra asked still somewhat in awe.

"Oh I kinda took a job at a bakery for a year after you left. Pretty good, aren't they?" He grinned, puffing up his chest with pride.

"They're great!" Korra beamed honestly as she finished her dumpling.

"I'm a man of many talents, I know." Bolin joked, posing proudly with his hands on his hips and his head held absurdly high.

"Right. Except you only took that job because your favorite donut shop closed and you wanted to learn how to make them at home." Mako stated.

"Typical Bolin." Korra chuckled.

"Well, I did learn didn't I? Plus cupcakes! I make awesome cupcakes!" Bolin's infectious enthusiasm and playful tone got Korra laughing again and it was music to his ears.

"You also gained about twenty pounds while you worked there, if I recall correctly." Mako snickered.

"Hey, I was growing boy!" Bolin feigned offense, getting another laugh from Korra.

"I'm not complaining, bro. Just made you harder to push off the arena during a match." Mako chuckled teasingly.

Korra was still laughing at their conversations and stuffed another dumpling into her mouth, but Bolin just gave his brother victory over the argument with a sheepish shrug because his focus kept wandering over to Korra's laugh and the way she licked cream off her fingers, making it hard to think of a good comeback.

Truthfully he had only got the job at the bakery because the elderly owner was an old Water Tribe woman whose laughter reminded him of Korra. Her son had left town to take care of family business in the South so she needed help at the store and Bolin offered. Besides it was a good way to indulge in his bad habit of drowning his sorrows in food. Of course, he'd never admit to any of those things.

Eventually the meal was over and everyone was in an incredibly good mood, so everyone still bustled around to help clean up, even Korra pitched in, but eventually Pema kicked them out stating so many people were just getting in the way.

So, with the whole afternoon to herself, Korra decided she might as well join the brothers while they prepared to their match. Turned out Mako had a satomobile now, and that was how they all got the stadium together after taking the ferry from air Temple Island to the city harbor.

Sarruk was already waiting and she eagerly offered to give Korra a tour of the whole stadium, bleachers and locker-rooms included. Korra accepted gratefully and allowed the girl to pull her around; they actually got along better than Korra had thought they would, Sarruk was just so much like her in personality and attitude that they always seemed to be on the same wavelength, heck the girl even answered her questions before she finished asking them.

Bolin and Mako, on the other hand, went to get changed and Mako seemed to be staring at his little brother with a somewhat ominous expression as they entered their locker-room.

"Mako, bro, is there something on my teeth?" Bolin gave him an exaggerated grin, showing off his pearly-whites.

"Bolin…" Mako hesitated.

"Hm?" Bolin was still smiling.

"Don't get your hopes up." Mako looked somber as he spoke.

"What are you talking about?" Bolin was already pulling off his shirt.

"Korra. Don't get your hopes up." Mako still didn't move and kept staring at Bolin.

"The heck are you talking about, bro?" Bolin chuckled, but it was a weak act. It was surprising but the truth was Mako didn't often see past his happy performances.

"Dude, I've seen how you've been since she got back, and the sighs and stares and all. I just don't want you disappointed again, ok?" Mako sighed.

"Mako, I know, ok?" Bolin's smile was gone but he finished changing his clothes as if the matter was closed.

The firebender didn't say anymore and changed as well, without another word, especially since they could hear the girls in the distance probably returning from the tour and it was obvious that Bolin's feelings for Korra would always be a touchy subject between them.

~~~~~~.:oOo:.~~~~~~

_(Author's Note: I realize this story is moving very slowly and I am sorry but I am out of internet and I'm focusing on my Amorra fic right now, but as compensation I'll reveal who the paring in this story really is.)_


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